St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-07-16
LETTER FROM VAUDEVILLE
TO A NORTHERN
PAPER.
SogaHIxo. TALL PMS TREEs. Harry
MICS, AND A SoUrHERxs
IDEAL LIFE

Editor World-It IL now ten
years siuce I left Racine county
since then / have lived in the Gull
States This must De the Ethiopia
Of Henry George. for. BY common
consent Of Ill, land il of no value.
and there are to-day. within forty
miles Of New Orleans. hundreds Of
thousands Of acres Of public lands
that no person will accept a. a gift
The forest primeval which covers
this land 10 alm0st valueless. The
pine forest extends over large
portion Of the Gulf States. and the
traveller in this forest will find him
self surrounded by much natural
beauty. The trees are straight and
100 feet high. with branches and
leaves ct the top only. They sway
back and forth like masts Of ships.
and their continual whisperings
sounds somewhat similar to sen
waves, and remind one Of the spirit
land. These pine lands produce
little or Nd underbrush, and objects
It . distance are visible. There is
no frontier. A home may be found
every two miles. which means =
clearing of about ore acre. sur
rounded BY zigzag fence; tue trees
have not been removed. some have
simply been dsadeced. (girlled. }
and still stand; they have lost THEN
leaves. twigs and bark. and their
white trunks and large branches re-
semble ghosts with arms extended
to heaven. In this clearing may
be found . log house. consisting Of
one room. balconies on the front
and sices. and = kitchen IN the rear
also stable and cow-pen in front
Of the house. TO be handy.) IL
this houee twelve children have
their existence, and there they will
remain until each seeks . similar
home Of his own. These houses
refer 10 are occupied by white pso'
pie. The negro cannot endure leo
lated country life. be 10 too sociaLls
Tor that, aud remains in the towns
The country 10 eighty uudu'
lating. and the swells. or sligh'
ridges. are dry; aud although thu
soil il naturally poor. it will pro
duce abunjAntly il fortified. Yhi'
last item 10 hardly worth consider
ing. however. - The planter car
pen his cows or sheep = few night'
in his one-Acre field, then turn hi,
ridges up with . plow made at th'
nearest blacksmith shop. aud se
out the sweet potato vines. III th'
iall he will point with pride to hi
potato patch. roasting ears ans
razor back hogs. aud exclaim
Look! We raise our own bread An.
meat !"
The climate 10 very healthful and
sickness is unknown. The Abit,
Springs. in st Tsmmany parish
La. j. sopposed to bs the fountain
for which Ponce Dc Leon sough
in vain.
Sheep are valued at e per head
goats and hogs ct Is cents. and cat
tie At s. though sometimes tb
latter cell for s. so.
School houses are found ever,
ten miles. aud are kept open thre
months in the year. The childrel
don't care to attend school. an,
their parents dor't encourage them
for they say. ''Oar children have al
got plenty nanny w.t. and that
: heap better than the learnin,
taught in schools" Calligraphy j
IN accomplishment the native doe
not possess. but hs il . natura
.rithmstician. Every cracker-bo
knows how many s times Is are
and il asked. "What 10 the half Q
35?" hs viii reply. ''One-half is ]
and the other half 10 H."
When I 6rst taught school I ~
10th to leave my dictionary in .
open school house during The nigh
but . visiting clergyman assure
mo there was no danger. - it, ~
was unknown. The few settle,
are perfectly happy. and earth b
no forthse gifts they want
The Mississippi farmer count
the rails in his fences and cell
them to any new conner for eft
cents per hundred. and throws
the land. buildings and other iu
rrovsmenta
The darkey 10 . dead beat" u
Whitley il often another. An add
ton 10 "Uncle Toms Cabin" migt